Thomas Laverne "Tommy" James, Jr. (September 16, 1923 – February 7, 2007) was an American football defensive halfback who played for Ohio State University and the Cleveland Browns in the 1940s and 1950s. James was born near Massillon, Ohio and attended Massillon Washington High School, where he starred as a back on the football team under head coach Paul Brown. James was a key part of a Massillon team that went undefeated in 1940. After graduating, he followed Brown to Ohio State, where he played as a halfback. Ohio State won its first national championship in 1942 when James was on the team.